Public Statements

Issue Position: Keeping Young People in Maine

Issue Position

According to the 2010 Census, the median age of Maine's population is more than 42 years (median age is the age where half the population is older and the other half is younger). That makes Maine the oldest state in the nation.

One reason Maine is the oldest is because our young people leave to find better employment opportunities in other states. As I described earlier, improving the environment for small businesses is one solution for creating jobs, but I think there is another solution that is just as important.

I believe that providing young people skills that match the needs of our community will not only help keep them in Maine, it will help improve the quality of life for Maine's entire population. Keeping our young people in Maine is good for our tax base and, because young people tend to be healthier, they will play a key role in reducing our health insurance costs.

As a product of Maine schools, I believe in our university and community college systems. As your representative, I will work to make sure we invest appropriately in our post secondary institutions so that tuitions are affordable and that they are able to offer skills that matter to Maine.